Niger Premier League

The Niger Premier League (fr. Championnat National de Première Division or Championnat D1) is the highest division in football in Niger. The league's first year of operation was 1966.

Niger Premier League
Founded1966
CountryNiger
ConfederationCAF
Number of teams14
Level on pyramid1
Domestic cup(s)Niger Cup
International cup(s)Champions League
Confederation Cup
Current championsAS SONIDEP
(2017–18)
Most championshipsSahel SC (13)
Current: 2018–19 Niger Premier League

Structure

Although the Premier League Championship has been contested since 1966, the structure has changed over time, and a number of years the competition has been canceled or shortened. Most recently the Championship was canceled completely in 2002, and several major clubs dropped out in 2004 and 2005 for financial reasons and because of the 2005 Famine afflicting the south center of the nation. In 2004, for instance, three clubs in the first round were disqualified, and more than two dozen matches were annulled or awarded after the fact for a variety of offences.[1]

Since the 1990s, the clubs compete in a group stage, the winners of which advance to the "Super League" which contests the second half of the season, with the losers contesting a league to determine what clubs will be relegated to the Regional leagues. The Leagues in each of the Nigerien regions (called the Nigerien D2 Championships) then send champions to a play-off to determine which two clubs will be promoted. Historically, Niamey has had the most accomplished regional league, and has provided most clubs in the national championship. Only two clubs from outside Niamey have ever won the championship.[2] The Ligue de Niamey has been powerful enough that, after disputes over relegation on 2000, five Niamey clubs formed their own rival competition (the "Coupe des Sponsors"), and played only the Ligue de Niamey championship in the 2002 season, when the Nigerien Football Federation cancelled the season due to funding shortfalls.[3]

In 2008 there were 20 clubs entered, broken down into four groups (Groupe A, B, C, D) of five. The top two teams from each group go on to the Super League, while the bottom club in each group goes into a relegation play-off, in which two clubs are relegated. The first stages were played in ten rounds March–June, the relegation play-off in three rounds in July, and the Super league in seven rounds in July to August.

The Niger Cup, as well as a number of invitational and regional trophies, are played simultaneously.

From 2010 the league will be broken down to two groups of ten .

Niger Premier League – Clubs 2015/16
1 AS-FNIS were renamed AS GNN (Garde Nationale du Niger)

Previous champions

Performance by club
Club City Titles Last Title
Sahel SC (includes Secteur 7)Niamey132009
Olympic FC (includes Secteur 6)Niamey122011–12
AS FANNiamey52016–17
AS GNN (includes AS-FNIS)Niamey42013–14
AS NiameyNiamey31982
Zumunta ACNiamey31993
AS DouanesNiamey22015
AS SONIDEPNiamey22019
JS du TénéréNiamey22001
Espoir FCZinder11984
Jangorzo FCMaradi11983
AS PoliceNiamey12008

References
  1. RSSSF 2004 season review For instance, one match was abandoned and BOTH clubs were assigned 0–3 losses.
  2. RSSSF Championships
  3. RSSSF 2001, RSSSF 2002
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